


Blame it On Me

by LeesaCrakon



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Abused Riley Biers, Abusive Relationships, Canonical Character Death, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Torture, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Character Death, Rape Recovery, Riley-centric, Tags May Change, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 08:40:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20306629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeesaCrakon/pseuds/LeesaCrakon
Summary: (Inspired by all Twilight Media but based heavily on the movie) Riley Biers was left to die by Seth Clearwater, but because his body was never burned he reformed. Hurt and confused by his last moments with Victoria, Riley seeks solace with the very people he once thought of as enemies. They were the ones who opened his eyes, but will they be the ones to help heal his heart?





	1. Reform

Chapter 1: Reform 

Riley had never felt so much pain in his life. It was even worse than when he was changed, worse than any treatment or punishment he received from Victoria or the other newborns. The pain was so intense he couldn’t scream, just laid rigid and twitching in the snow as his body essentially glued itself back together. He was in hell. When it was finally over, when the cracks sealed together and he was finally in one piece, he laid in the snow, eyes closed, breathing heavily through his nose and letting out the occasional whimper or hiss of pain. Riley managed to gain the strength to stand, leaning heavily against the pine tree that the werewolf had left him by. He looked around. The other vampires had gone. His eyes fell on the pile of ashes in the snow, still smoldering. 

“Victoria,” he croaked, stumbling down the small hill and falling to his knees in front of the remains of his lover. His hands shook as he planted them into the snow, his shoulders shaking with repressed sobs. Victoria was gone, but Riley wasn’t crying because she was gone. He cried because of his last moments seeing her. He begged for help, pleaded for her to save him. Victoria had ignored him to fight Edward and to avenge...James. Riley had faintly heard his name as he tried to fight off the young wolf. James, Victoria’s mate. Riley was never her mate, just a toy, as he had suspected in the fearful hours of the night when the newborns and Victoria left him alone to his thoughts. 

Riley got to his feet and staggered down the mountain, too tired and hungry to run at his usual vampiric speed. He leaned heavily against any tree he came across and ignored the pain in his arm where his hand had completely reformed itself. He didn’t know where he was going. He didn’t need to know. He needed to get away from the ashes and the lies and the guilt, from both not saving Victoria and listening to her in the first place. Edward’s words were ringing in his ears as he made his way down.

Edward.

The Cullens.

The people who got him into this damn mess in the first place, them and their little wolf friends. Well...they weren’t exactly little. Not by a long shot. Riley shuddered and a hand ghosted his shoulder as he remembered the young werewolf digging its teeth into him and dragging him to his death Or would be death. Or not really his death, since he was already dead. Whatever. As the wind picked up around him, Riley instinctively pulled his jacket tighter around him. The temperature didn’t really bother him, but he had done that a lot as a human. It was almost like he tried to hide all the time. He never really thought about it much when he was with Victoria. She made sure that she was his only priority. 

“Emmett, there’s someone over here!” a voice shouted, shaking Riley out of his thoughts. Riley scrambled backward and tried to hide, hearing the footsteps of the two other vampires rapidly approaching. He crouched behind a thick, tall pine tree, shielding himself with the needles and curling up, wrapping his arms around his head and shivering. They were going to kill him, he knew it, like they killed Victoria. Riley cried out in shock as a hand wrapped around his wrist and pulled him out from behind the tree, out into the open. He thrashed and kicked at the person holding him. It was another vampire, with short brown hair, broad shoulders, and a well-built frame. Based on what Victoria told him, he could only guess that this was Emmett Cullen. The other vampire, a leaner, blond male with a ferocious snarl on his face matched Victoria’s description of Jasper Hale. 

“What do you want, Jazz? Arms or legs?” Emmett asked his surrogate brother with a wicked smile, forcing Riley to his knees and gripping him so that he couldn’t move. Riley tried to beg for his life, that they would spare him, but the words died in his throat. Jasper smirked and approached Riley, his eyes filled with amusement. 

“Legs. That way, he can’t get away.” Emmett laughed at his brother’s response and forced Riley to his feet, gripping his neck and holding his arms behind his back. Riley whimpered but closed his eyes, accepting his fate. Just as Emmett and Jasper were about to begin ripping him apart, yet another vampire came crashing through the trees. His presence was familiar , however, and Riley’s eyes widened in surprise. Edward stormed over to the small group and forced both Emmett and Jasper off of him, pulling Riley towards him by the back of his jacket. 

“What do you two think you’re doing?!” Edward hissed, positioning himself in front of Riley. “Alice told us to come to get him, not kill him! Do you two listen to her at all?” Edward sounded pissed. Emmett and Jasper looked pissed. Riley felt as if he were about to be in the middle of something that he would not be very happy about later. He started to back away, but Edward lashed out and grabbed his wrist, sending him a warning look. Riley froze, standing as still as a statue. Jasper and Emmett grumbled complaints as Edward picked Riley up and swung him over both of his shoulders, like a hunter carrying back a deer that they had killed. Riley hissed in protest, got another warning look, and decided to shut up was probably his best option at the moment. 

“Aw, spoilsport,” Emmett said playfully, grinning at Edward before taking off towards the forest. Edward followed, and Riley scrambled to grab the back of his jacket so he wouldn’t go flying off. Edward overtook Emmett easily, rushing through the trees at speeds fast even for a vampire. When he stopped, they had reached a modern looking home in the middle of the woods. A small group of vampires stood outside, whispering among themselves. Riley’s throat tightened in fear, but he didn’t have much time to worry about that as Edward swung him off his back, tossing him to the ground. Riley quickly got to his feet, grimacing as pain shot through his left leg. He quickly checked, and sure enough, a large crack ran from his knee down to his ankle. It healed quickly, but Riley still eyed Edward warily. 

“There you are, Riley! Took you long enough to get here!” Riley, startled at the use of his name, looked up. A short, pixie-like vampire that had to be Alice smiled brightly at him and went up to him fearlessly. Riley went rigid as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. She was touching him. Touch was bad. Touch meant pain. Carnal instincts pushed in and Riley lashed out, pushing Alice away from him and getting into a fighting stance, glaring at her with wild eyes. Jasper snarled and posed to defend his mate. 

“Jasper, don’t! You’ll make it worse!” Alice protested, grabbing the vampire’s arm. Jasper’s jaw clenched and he didn’t attack, but he stayed right where he was. Riley’s mind was going a mile a minute and he stumbled back, hands beginning to shake. 

“Please...Please, Don’t…” Riley barely managed to choke the words out as he fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around himself as shaking as Victoria’s words rang in his ears. 

_ They’re murderers. They kill their fellow vampires for sport. They did it to Laurent. They could kill you too. You can’t let them catch you.  _ Carlisle approached the young vampire, kneeling in front of him and placing a hand on his shoulder. Riley’s head jerked up and he flinched away, curling up tighter on himself.  _ They could kill you too. They could kill you too. They could kill you too.  _ Riley wanted to scream. He wanted to fight, to slaughter them all and take revenge for Victoria and his army, but all he could do was let out a whimper. 

“I don’t want to die. Please, I’ll do anything,” Riley pleaded, looking up at Carlisle with eyes filled with pain. The older vampire looked back into his eyes with sympathy, the hand moving from Riley’s shoulder to squeeze his arm reassuringly. 

“We’re not going to kill you, Riley. Alice told us we needed to help you,” Carlisle said gently, taking Riley by the elbow and helping him to his feet. He was still trembling, and he couldn’t get himself to speak. Carlisle cast a look over his shoulder at Jasper, who made a disgusted face. After a moment of being held under Carlisle’s firm gaze, jasper huffed and looked at Riley. Riley immediately began to feel calm, an almost warm feeling spreading from his fingertips to his toes. His shivered, but for a good reason this time, and closed his eyes. Carlisle smiled. 

“Why don’t we get you inside? We have a lot to discuss,” Esme said gently. Riley opened his eyes to see she was holding a hand out to him. Jasper continued to manipulate his emotions so he was completely calm, so Riley took it without a second thought, even smiling as Esme began to lead him towards the house. 


	2. Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cullens discuss Riley's situation

Riley was still feeling somewhat dazed as Esme led him through the Cullen’s home, looking around at the paintings and various other household decorations. There was a calm atmosphere in the house (although, that may have just been Jasper) and despite the current circumstances, Riley found himself able to relax. Esme guided him to the couch and sat him down before drifting back into the kitchen, where the rest of the Cullen Clan resided. They even had the werewolf and the Cullen’s pet there with him. Well, Victoria said it was their pet, but from how Edward acted on the mountain, Bella Swan was much more than just the Cullen’s pet. 

“What are we supposed to do with him?” the blonde vampire, Rosalie, hissed at Alice. The other vampire simply smiled and folded her arms across her chest. Riley sat still, not moving to watch them but listening in. “He was going to kill us. He tried to. How do we know he won’t try again?” Rosalie’s voice was bitter, but Riley couldn’t blame her. He honestly didn’t know where his loyalties were at this point. 

“He’s staying here, with us. I thought I made that obvious,” Alice said airily, as casual as if they were discussing the weather. Rosalie hissed angrily and Emmett had to grab her shoulders to stop her from lunging at Alice. “I know you’re scared, but I saw him with us. He becomes a part of the family. Have I been wrong before?” Alice continued. 

“No, but your visions have changed,” Carlisle pointed out gently. “Riley staying here, especially so soon after the battle, may not be a wise choice. He could still be loyal to Victoria,” he continued. Alice looked Edward in the eye, and her brother sighed. 

“At the moment he doesn’t know who he’s loyal to. Victoria manipulated him into loving her, but he watched her leave him for dead. He’s still afraid of us. He’s insecure and worried. Honestly, now would probably be the best time to reach out to him and get him to listen to us.” Alice beamed gratefully at Edward. Riley’s jaw clenched. Edward had mentioned his ability to read minds on the mountains when he was telling Riley that Victoria was only using him. He hated the idea of having his mind read. His thoughts were never his own when he was with Victoria, just mindless, empty thoughts of only her. He began listening again and cursed himself when he realized he’d missed part of the conversation. 

“I’ll go talk to him first. Carlisle, come with me,” Alice said. Her voice had hardened slightly at the skepticism of her family. Jasper tried to take her hand and follow but the blank stare she sent him made him stay behind. Carlisle followed his daughter into the living room, where Riley sat still as a statue with his eyes closed. Realizing they had come in, his eyes flew open and he tried to appear more casual, not wanting them to realize he had been listening in. It didn’t seem to work, however, and Carlisle cast him a knowing smile before sitting across from him on the other couch. Alice sat next to him, but not too close. 

“How much did you hear?” Carlisle asked, right out of the gate. Riley gave a fairly blunt answer. 

“Alice wants me to stay, but none of you trust me,” Riley replied, trying to sound indifferent. In reality, his fists clenched beside him as he prepared to defend himself. Carlisle hummed in acknowledgment. 

“You’re right, on both accounts. Alice’s visions are usually trustworthy. The only time we can’t rely on them is when the person in the vision changes their decision. Then the outcome of the vision changes,” Carlisle explained. Riley tilted his head, intrigued. 

“So...she doesn’t necessarily see the future. She predicts the outcome of people’s decisions?” Riley questioned. Carlisle nodded. “That’s amazing,” Riley said, in awe as he looked at Alice. Then it dawned on him. “That’s why you were able to fight against us, isn’t it? You were able to prepare for us because you saw us coming.” Alice smiled and nodded. Riley was dumbstruck. Victoria told him the Cullen’s had special abilities. He’d figured out Jasper’s emotion manipulation, and Edward’s mind-reading, but he would have never predicted Alice’s abilities. 

“Yes, it is. Although...it was different at first. You won when I first saw it. But something changed,” Alice said, somewhat wistfully. 

“What? Alice, you didn’t tell us that!” Carlisle exclaimed, taken aback. 

“It changed quickly, the vision I told all of you the vision that came directly after. And that’s the one that came true, so why is it important?” Alice insisted. The two continued to speak, but Riley had tuned out, staring blankly at the floor. They had won, first. What could have possibly changed? What decision…? 

“It’s my fault,” Riley suddenly realized, his eyes widening. Alice and Carlisle stopped mid-conversation, looking at the younger vampire questioningly. Riley slowly looked up to meet their gaze. “It’s my fault we lost. That the vision changed. I started...I started to doubt Victoria after a few times scouting and never seeing any of you. If I hadn’t…” Riley squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face in his hands, his head spinning. If he hadn’t doubted Victoria, would she have rescued him? If he hadn’t planted that small seed of doubt in her mind, would she have rushed from the fight and saved him from the werewolf? Did she let him die because he had failed her? Was all of this his fault? Had Edward been lying to him? Had Victoria really loved him? Was she just angry with him? That’s how it worked with love, right? People leave when you make them angry. 

“Riley, you need to calm down,” Carlisle said gently, reaching over and taking Riley’s hands away from his face. Riley’s eyes flew open and he realized that he’d been holding onto his own hair so tightly his fingers had begun to crack, crushed under their own strength. He shook slightly as he watched the cracks reform. “There you go. You’re doing very well Riley. Now, could you tell me what you’re thinking? Edward left so I can’t call him in, I need you to talk to me.” Riley closed his eyes and hid his shaking hands in his jacket. 

“Before we left to fight, I questioned Victoria’s information about all of you. She claimed you hunted down any other vampires who came into your territory, but I had never seen any of you when I came here. She claimed I didn’t trust her. She was angry with me. I was thinking that- that because I showed doubt, it made her angry and that’s why she didn’t save me because that’s how love works. When someone makes you angry you leave them, because they’re of no use to you anymore. She...She had every right to let me die,” Riley said, his voice shaking slightly. If he had been human, there would have been tears in his eyes. “I tried...I tried so hard to deserve her love, and I fucked it up.” Alice’s eyes flared with anger and she began to speak, but Carlisle cut her off with a careful look. 

“That’s not how love works at all, Riley. Couples get angry at each other, yes. It happens sometimes, but they work through it. They don’t leave or abandon each other in times of need because of a disagreement. Victoria was manipulating you. She upset you on purpose so you would be even more eager to please her. Does that make sense?” Carlisle explained gently. Riley looked up at him before slowly shaking his head. 

“Not really. I mean, I guess it does, but I don’t know what to believe anymore. Victoria was everything, for so long. I forgot how to think for myself.” Carlisle smiled softly. 

“You’re doing it right now, and I’d say you’re doing well. You’re good at expressing yourself, did you know that?” Carlisle said, keeping his voice low as he placed a hand on Riley’s shoulder. Riley blinked and seemed lost in thought for a moment. 

“Well...I was an English major, I guess it makes sense that I’m good with words.” Riley declined to bring up his powers of persuasion. Victoria had told him that their powers came from enhanced versions of their best human qualities. Trouble was, Riley hadn’t remembered anything about his life as a human. However, as Victoria’s grip on his mind slowly began to slip, the things she forced him to forget began to fade back into focus. Riley found himself smiling softly. An English major. He supposed it sounded like him. He never would have pinned himself as the English type, but his human self wouldn’t have predicted this existence for himself either. Riley flinched and was snapped back to reality when a small hand rested on his arm, startling him. Alice smiled back apologetically, carefully removing her hand. 

“Did you hear us, Riley?” she asked. Honest, he shook his head sheepishly. Alice giggled. “That’s ok. Carlisle said that you can stay. Your place will be up in the attic. How does that sound?” Alice asked him. Riley perked up a bit. 

“I’ll...have my own room? Of sorts? Not...just, wandering around or something?” Riley honestly couldn’t believe it. Alice pouted. 

“Why would we do that? You’re staying with us, so yes, you’ll have a room of your own. As I’m sure you know, we don’t sleep. We have rooms mostly to keep our things in and a place to go to when we want to relax. You understand?” Riley nodded, and Alice smiled. She stood and held a hand out to him, allowing him to initiate. Riley hesitated before taking the outstretched hand, and he and Alice sped into the kitchen. Besides Edward and Bella, the rest of the Cullen clan was there. Riley tried not to shrink under Emmett and Jasper’s stares. Carlisle came in behind them, startling Riley slightly as he brushed passed him. 

“I’ve decided to let Riley stay, as Alice’s visions predicted. He’ll be up in the attic. Emmett, he’ll be joining you and Rosalie in your hunting tonight. If he’s to stay here, we need to get him accustomed to our way of life,” Carlisle said. Riley grimaced and Emmett groaned. Rosalie wrinkled her nose in disgust and looked Riley up and down, making him shift in discomfort. 

“Um...lifestyle?” Riley glanced questioningly at Carlisle. 

“We only feed on animals, no humans,” Carlisle responded. Riley gaped at him, but before he could say another word, Alice was dragging him up towards the stairs. 

“Enough chit chat, let’s go to your room!” Riley had no choice but to let himself be dragged up to the attic by the female vampire, his mind still burning with questions. 


	3. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley goes hunting with Emmett and Rosalie and is reminded of something he would rather forget. Warning! This chapter contains animal deaths and implied past sexual assault! Comments are appreciated :heart: Enjoy!

“So, you like the attic?” Emmett said somewhat gruffly from beside Riley.

“Oh. Yeah, It’s nice,” Riley replied nervously. “It’s the first time I’ve had a room to myself, and Esme said she’d get some furniture for it…” The two vampires fell into an awkward silence as they strolled for the woods. Emmett, eyes bright gold and vibrant, wasn’t thirsty in the slightest but Riley’s eyes were pitch black. Emmett was there for ‘pest control’, as Riley had overheard Rosalie say bitterly to Alice. He didn’t like being called a pest.

“You ever hunted animals before?” Emmett asked, turning his head to Riley. Riley shook his head, and Emmett smirked slightly. “It;s fun as hell, dude, even better than hunting humans. Humans fight back, but there’s nothing out there like wrestling with a mountain lion. Trust me,” Emmett said, his smirk turning into a grin as he paused, taking in the air. Riley watched him, somewhat disgusted but unable to conceal his curiosity. Drinking animal blood sounded absolutely revolting, but Emmett seemed to enjoy it. That wasn’t much to go by, but whatever. Emmett’s eyes opened and he gestured for Riley to follow him, taking off into a sprint and running into the deeper parts of the woods. Riley quickly followed, secretly relishing in the feeling of the fresh air whipping around him and the scent of trees, grass, and other natural scents all around him. It was nothing like downtown Seattle here. They approached a small clearing where Rosalie was waiting for them, arms crossed over her chest in annoyance.

“Took you two long enough,” she said scathingly, glaring at Riley and walking over to Emmett, smiling and going on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. Emmett grinned, murmured a soft question, and enthusiastically picked Rosalie up and spun her around when she gave him a nod. Riley looked away, feeling as if he were intruding on some sort of intimate moment. He’d never seen a couple be so sweet with each other. Victoria had always been extremely physical. This was different. Even he could tell.

“Alright Rose, you wanna do the honors?” Emmett asked, setting his wife back on the ground. Riley watched as Rosalie crept forward, staying alert and listening for any signs of life other than them. Suddenly, Rosalie snarled and jumped high into the air, just in time to knock into a mountain lion that pounced at the from inside the bushes. Riley watched in horrified fascination as she easily overtook the animal, pinning it to the ground and snapping its neck, killing it instantly. Riley’s hand instinctively flew up to his own neck, wondering fearfully for a moment if she could snap his neck that easily. She probably could. The werewolf had no problem ripping his entire body apart, and she seemed stronger than him.

“You going to eat or what?” Rosalie nudged the dead mountain lion with her foot, moving it more towards Riley.

“Aren’t you thirsty?” he asked, noting her dark eyes. “You killed it, it should be yours. I can get the next one.” Rosalie’s eyes flickered with an emotion Riley couldn’t pinpoint before she knelt down, biting one of the lion’s pulse points and drinking. Riley remained alert, watching for any signs of another animal he could attack. Rosalie finished and licked the blood from her lips, spite and concern having turned to curiosity as she watched Riley hunt. Emmett seemed intrigued by his methods as well, having never seen a newborn vampire hunt for food up close. Riley smelled the air and his eyes narrowed slightly. He walked swiftly through the undergrowth, his feet soundless. He could distantly hear a deer grazing and he smirked slightly. It smelled...not exactly appealing, but it wasn’t as disgusting as he thought it would be. In human terms, animal blood was like the three day old leftovers in the fridge that still tasted ok, but it wouldn’t be the first thing you’d want to eat.

Emmett and Rosalie followed Riley closely as he picked up the pace, stopping at the edge of the field. His eyes blazed hungrily as he caught sight of the doe and her fawn grazing. He was starving, and hearing the blood pump and the deer’s heart beat rapidly increased his hunger. He crouched low, watching as the mother slowly came closer to him, ears flicking as she listened for any danger around her and her baby. Riley stayed as still as a statue, waiting for her to reach him. When she was so close that Riley would have been in her sights if he moved even slightly, he lashed out and grabbed her leg, dragging her towards him. She let out an agonized sound and the fawn ran off, but it was too late for the mother. Riley bit her neck, piercing the vital bloodline and drank. The loss of blood at such a rapid pace killed the deer quickly, and Riley was grateful she didn’t have to suffer the entire time he fed.

“You killed the mother?” Riley turned his head to see a horrified Rosalie standing behind him, a hand over her mouth. Riley shrank slightly, but he was undeterred.

“Yes. The fawn is old enough that it will be able to survive on its own, and if I killed the fawn it wouldn’t have been enough to satisfy me. So I killed the mother,” Riley said in a matter of fact tone, getting up and brushing the dirt off the front of his jacket. Rosalie looked skeptical, but she didn’t make another comment.

“I’ve never seen someone hunt like that,” Emmett piped up next, coming up behind his wife. He murmured something, she nodded, and he put an arm around her waist. “Where did you learn to do that?” he continued. Riley’s small smile quickly faded.

“Victoria,” he muttered softly, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking quickly past the two of them. “Let’s go back, the others are probably waiting for you two,” Riley called, walking faster and willing himself not to think. Just look around. Look at the trees, the grass, listen to the wind whistle around it. Bask in it. Don’t think about it. Don’t think about her.

“Victoria? Really? I thought you guys lived in downtown Seattle,” Emmett said. “Why would you need to hunt like that?”

“We didn’t have to. She just liked scaring people,” Riley said dully. And then he was lost to his thoughts.

_“Yes, that’s it, Riley, go slowly,” Victoria whispered as Riley snuck up behind the unsuspecting family, his eyes black and hungry. Riley shivered under her praise and almost got distracted, but then the young father accidentally tripped, scuffing his knee. His blood made Riley’s nostrils flare and he had to hold himself back and continued to creep forward. He stayed in the shadows, watching Victoria for her signal. Her eyes gleamed as she watched him. She nodded and he smirked, lunging and grabbing the father by the ankles, making sure he remained unseen as he dragged him into the alleyway he was hidden in. The mother screamed and dragged the children away. The man tried to cry for help, but Riley had already broken his neck and bit him, beginning to feed. Victoria approached Riley slowly, resting a hand on his back and slowly moving her hand up to run it through his hair. Riley shuddered and closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. It had been so long since she’d touched him like that._

_“How did I do?” Riley whispered, opening his eyes and looking up at Victoria. She smiled and leaned down, licking the blood running down his chin and cupping his cheek._

_“You were perfect, my love. I think you deserve a reward,” Victoria purred, her lips trailing from her chin to his jawline and down his neck. Riley tensed and grabbed Victoria’s shoulder, his body aching for her but his mind telling him to run._

_“I- can I pick my reward?” he mumbled. Her lips were too hot. Her touch was too much. He didn’t want it. Victoria immediately pulled away, her mouth hanging open slightly in shock._

_“Are you being ungrateful?” Victoria asked him, her voice laced with disbelief and anger. Riley’s eyes widened and he quickly got to his feet, reaching out to her._

_“N-No, no! I was just wondering, please, I promise. It meant nothing,” Riley said quickly. Victoria looked him up and down with slight disgust but she did not pull away when he placed his hands on her waist, pulling her closer to him. “I’m grateful for you, so grateful. I would be nothing without you,” Riley continued breathlessly, moving Victoria’s hair and kissing just under her ear. She hummed softly and closed her eyes._

_“You’re forgiven,” Victoria said with a smile, which slowly turned into a smirk. She nipped his ear and he shivered, his grip on her waist tightening slightly. He wanted to run but he felt powerless in her hands. “Why don’t we take this somewhere more private, hm?” she cooed, kissing down his neck again, Riley felt sick, but he nodded. He was hers, to do with as she pleased. If this was his reward, then he would take it._

Riley was (mercifully) jerked out of his thoughts as he lost his footing, tumbling down a steep hill. He managed to catch himself on a tree root, grabbing it and hauling himself back to his feet. He leaned heavily against the tree it belonged to, closing his eyes. He was shaking, he could feel it, and he had to clamp a hand over his mouth to stop an audible whimper from coming out. He faintly heard Emmett and Rosalie calling his name and he sank to the ground, burying his head in his knees. He needed to calm down. If they caught him like this, weak and crying like a child who knew what they would do to him. Vampires were not supposed to show weakness. So he got up and ran, plowing further and further into the woods and leaving the other two far behind. They wouldn’t hurt him. He wouldn’t let them. They couldn’t.


	4. Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cullens go after Riley, who attracts unwanted attention from the pack. Comments appreciated <3

“Riley ran off,” Emmett said, bursting into the living room of the Cullen home. All conversation ceased and Carlisle rose swiftly to join his side. Grabbing his son by the shoulder, Carlisle looked Emmett in the eye, face set in stone. 

“What happened, Emmett? Why did he run away?” Carlisle asked firmly. Emmett grimaced and shrugged helplessly. Rosalie came in behind him, looking somewhere between angry and afraid. “Rosalie, do you know what happened?” Carlisle asked, turning from his son to his daughter. Rosalie’s eyes flickered to Emmett. 

“We were hunting, and Emmett asked Riley where he learned to hunt the way he did. We ended up mentioning Victoria. I don’t know what happened after that though, he didn’t talk,” Rosalie said, joining Emmett’s side and taking his hand in hers, squeezing tightly. Emmett squeezed back, jaw set as he looked back at Carlisle. Carlisle looked between the two of them and nodded, turning around quickly to face the rest of his family (save Bella and Edward. They still hadn’t come back). 

“We need to find him. Jasper, grab Edward. He’s in the meadow with Bella. We’ll need him too. Did you see what direction Riley went?” Carlisle said, whipping back around to face Emmett and Rosalie. Emmett’s expression became sullen. 

“He was going towards the treaty line. I’m sorry Carlisle, I tried to stop him,” Emmett finally admitted, bowing his head in shame. “You told me to watch him and I got careless. I’ll find him, I promise.” Carlisle’s face softened a bit and he nodded. 

“I know you will. Just hurry. If the pack finds him before we do, we may not be able to save him,” Carlisle said. Emmett lifted his head back up and nodded curtly, turning swiftly on his heel and running back out and into the forest to find Riley. Jasper ran off next to get Edward. Carlisle turned to Esme. “Stay here in case he comes back. We’ll be back soon,” he murmured to her, cupping her face and kissing her softly. 

“Bring him back safely. Please,” Esme said when they parted. “I can’t stand to see any more of them killed.” It had been hard for Esme to participate in the battle against the newborns two days before, and the Volturi’s merciless killing of Bree Tanner hadn’t helped. She was part of the reason Carlisle had agreed to let Riley stay. The emotional weight of another death on their hands would have been too much for her to handle. Carlisle whispered a promise to her and kissed her again, joining his sons in search for the missing vampire. 

Riley, meanwhile, was stumbling blindly through the forest. He didn’t know where he was going and he didn’t care. He just wandered mindlessly, using anything as a distraction from his thoughts. He faintly heard the sound of running water and shuddered as he remembered the march through the ocean, surrounded by the darkness and the cold. He shook his head rapidly in an attempt to expel the thoughts. 

“Don’t think about it, don’t think about it,” Riley muttered several times to himself, hands shaking as he buried them deeply into his pants pockets and trudged onward through the trees and underbrush. He nearly tripped over a tree root or two, not paying attention to where he was going. He stopped short when he reached the edge of a deep rut in the way, a large creek flowing heavily and separating one side from the other. It was a far jump, but Riley was strong and determined to get as far away as possible. He didn’t know what he was getting away from, he just knew he needed to go. He backed up and took a running start, leaping off of the edge. Riley practically flew through the air, waving his hands to keep his balance and failing epically, crashing hard into the ground on the other side. 

“Riley!” Emmett shouted, his widening with panic as he saw the other man staggering on the other side of the ridge, in Quileute territory. Riley turned briefly, caught a glance of Emmett, and growled in the back of his throat. “Riley! Get back over here, seriously!” The panic in Emmett’s tone should have been enough to make Riley reconsider what he was doing, but he was reckless and terrified, so he turned away and began to walk deeper into the forest. It was the low, crystal clear howl that made him stop in his tracks, freezing up at the familiar sound. Werewolves. Emmett shouted Riley’s name again, and this time he listened, turning back around and running towards the other side, his entire body seizing up with fear.

Just as he was about to reach the edge, a set of teeth trapped his ankle in a vice grip and dragged him backwards. Riley yelled in fear and pain and tried to twist away from the wolf dragging him away, but to no avail. He was flipped onto his back, and found himself face to face with the werewolf that had almost slaughtered him on the mountain. Any thoughts or words that could possibly get him out of this died in Riley’s throat and he stared up at the shapeshifter in terror, trying to scramble backwards. He let out another cry of pain as the wolf pinned him down with its paws, an audible crack from his chest indicating that his body had been broken. 

“Seth, wait! Don’t kill him!” Emmett shouted from the other side, pacing anxiously and watching as the werewolf, Seth, kept Riley pinned to the ground. Riley trembled slightly as he looked up at the snarling wolf. Seth growled and lifted himself off of Riley, allowing him to stand up and scramble back towards the other side. He phased from a wolf to a man as Riley made the jump, 

“What is he doing here?” Seth shouted at Emmett, shaking with anger as his eyes bored into Riley. Riley hid behind Emmett, not feeling the slightest bit of shame as he clung to him and shook. “I killed him! I ripped his head right off his body!”

“You forgot to burn it, Seth. Vampires remain sentient and can reform unless you burn their corpses,” Emmett send, somewhat tiredly. He extended an arm back and awkwardly patted Riley’s hand in reassurance. Seth was silent for a moment before a dry smile stretched across his lips. 

“I’ll need to remember that for next time. Thanks for the reminder, Em,” Seth said, eyes flashing as he stared at Riley. Riley closed his eyes and clung tighter to Emmett, shaking slightly and pressing his head against his back. He felt a hand on his shoulder and flinched wildly, looking back with wide eyes only to see Carlisle looking back at him. He relaxed a bit, and his hands even loosened on Emmett’s shirt. 

“There won’t be a next time with Riley, Seth. He is now under our protection,” Edward said, appearing out of nowhere on Riley’s other side. Riley looked at him, every muscle in his body tense. Edward looked at him with seemingly genuine concern. “Are you alright, Riley?” It took the other vampire a moment to respond. 

“No. But I’m not trapped under a giant wolf anymore, so I guess that’s a plus?” Riley replied in a much weaker voice, slowly letting go of Emmett and backing away from him, hugging himself and staring fearfully at the shapeshifter on the other side. He heard a snort and glanced towards the sound, spotting Jasper trying to hide a smirk out of the corner of his eye. Another figure appeared, a female, approaching Seth’s side. Riley’s eyes were immediately drawn to her. From her scent, he could tell she was also a shapeshifter. Unlike her companion, she was much more graceful and lean, not overly muscular like most werewolves would become when they changed. 

“Leah, can you please take your brother back home? I’m afraid there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding and Seth got himself a bit worked up,” Carlisle called out to the girl. Leah. So that was her name. And she was Seth’s sister. 

“Misunderstanding?! He was going to kill you!” Seth shouted, eyes blazing as he glared at Riley. Riley grimaced and hung his head in shame. Carlisle put a hand on his shoulder before walking closer to the edge. 

“He was, yes, but he was being manipulated by the true leader of the army, Victoria. Riley is willing to change, and we’re going to help him do that,” Carlisle replied. “Bella is comfortable with his presence, and she was the one he was trying to kill in the first place. I’m sure you can accept this if she did.” Seth stared at Carlisle in disbelief before shrugging Leah’s hand off of his shoulder and storming into the woods. Leah watched him go for a moment before turning to look at the others for a moment. Riley met her gaze and his eyes widened as he felt a ripple of energy through the air, making the hairs on his arms stand up on end. Leah’s mouth fell open in shock and she slowly backed away before turning and running, disappearing into the forest. 

“What was that? Did you feel it?” Riley demanded, looking at the other vampires around him. Carlisle and Edward exchanged a knowing glance behind Riley’s back. 

“Nothing you need to worry about right now. Let’s go home,” Emmett said, putting an arm around Riley’s shoulders. “You look like hell.” Riley’s mouth twitched but he couldn’t get himself to smile. As he and Emmett started their way towards the Cullen’s home, he couldn’t get his mind off of Leah. What was that energy he felt when she looked at him? And why wouldn’t the others tell him when they clearly knew what was going on? 


	5. Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cullens ask Riley why he ran off, and he and Rosalie have a heart to heart. Comments appreciated :heart: Warning! Mentions of past assault, but no graphic or explicit details are included

Esme was there waiting for them when they got home. She startled Riley by hugging him and cupping his face, checking him over for any kind of injuries and asking him if he was alright. She was so gentle, and her touch was comforting rather than demanding. Riley liked it. He had to stop himself from leaning into it. Esme guided him inside, the rest of the family trailing behind. Riley could hear that they were whispering, but he chose not to tune in to what they were saying. He just focused on Esme’s kind smile as she sat him on the couch. That seemed to be the instinctual meeting place for the Cullen family. 

“Riley, dear, I know it may be difficult, but could you tell us why you can off?” Esme said gently as she sat beside him. Carlisle sat next to her, Rosalie and Emmett across from him on the other couch, Jasper leaned against a wall and Alice stood next to him, and Edward and Bella hung in the doorway. Riley stiffened slightly at Esme’s request, but Jasper made quick work of him and soon he had relaxed once again, his mind oddly at ease. 

“Some painful memories were brought back, but that’s all. I overreacted,” Riley replied, sitting back against the couch. 

“Do you mind telling us what it was?” Another spike of panic was quickly calmed by Jasper and Riley smiled. 

“No, I wouldn’t mind. Just...keep an open mind,” Riley said. The Cullen family waited patiently. “Emmett asked me who taught me how to hunt. Victoria did. I’ve thought about her since reforming, so I don’t know why this in particular triggered a memory with her, but it did. I remembered my very first kill. I hadn’t been a vampire for a very long time, maybe a month or two, but I’d fallen into a certain routine. When I did something well, Victoria would reward me. Most of the time it was affection. Other times it was more...ah ...physical. And I didn’t always want it.” Rosalie’s eyes widened slightly and her nails dug into Emmett’s arm, but Riley didn’t notice as he continued. “When I hunted successfully, it was one of those times. I tried to ask her if she could reward me in some other way, and she twisted it on me and made me feel as if I were being ungrateful to her. So, I forced myself to…” Riley couldn’t finish. His jaw clenched and he looked down at the carpet, wringing his hands anxiously and trying not to start freaking out again. He tried to talk again but no sound came out. Esme placed a hand on his back comfortingly.

“You don’t have to keep going, I think we all understand. Is there anything that we can do to help you?” Carlisle asked, his hand resting on his wife’s shoulder as he leaned forward slightly. Riley’s brow furrowed in confusion. 

“Why would you help me?” 

“Why wouldn’t we?” Emmett jumped in, raising an eyebrow at Riley. Riley blinked. 

“Well for one, I was leading an army set out to kill you all literally a day ago, and then I endanger your entire Coven because of a stupid meltdown. I shouldn’t even be here at all,” Riley said bitterly. 

“It was actually a week ago. Your body took a long time to heal, Riley. And there was a possibility that you could have endangered the coven, but the werewolf that you ran into, Seth Clearwater, is a friend of the family’s. You had a perfectly natural reaction to reliving those memories, and you shouldn’t blame yourself for things that didn’t happen,” Rosalie insisted. Riley was taken aback at how passionate she sounded about the second part, and it appeared he wasn’t alone. Even Jasper seemed confused, moving from his position against the wall to move closer to the couch, completely perplexed at his sister’s behavior. 

“You deserve a second chance, Riley. I can’t speak for my husband or my children but I see good in you. I remember you when you were human; you were a very kind and good person. You may have been manipulated, but at your center, you aren’t a bad person,” Esme said fervently, her hand on Riley’s back moving until she had wrapped both arms around him in a tight hug. Riley sat for a moment, stunned, before returning Esme’s embrace. His mind was racing and overwhelmed as he was given affection with no apparent strings attached. They really wanted to help him. And they knew him. 

“How...How did you know me before?” Riley murmured, pulling away slightly to look at Esme. Her eyes softened. 

“You lived here in Forks. When we moved here two years ago it was your senior year,” Esme explained. Riley gave a slight nod of acknowledgment. He pulled away from the hug but did not shrug off Esme’s hand as she placed it on his back again, rubbing circles into it. It was soothing. 

“Is there anything you want to ask us? None of us were super close to you, but we knew stuff about you,” Edward offered. Riley shook his head. 

“No, not right now. I do have questions about some other things.” Riley sat up straighter. “Like the clearing, with the werewolves. I know you said I don’t need to know, but what was that? It felt...strange,” he muttered. 

“That is for Leah to tell, not us, Riley. It’s a bit...personal,” Carlisle said. 

“Then I’ll go talk to her myself,” Riley said, beginning to stand. Emmett moved quickly and grabbed his wrist, pulling him back down onto the couch. 

“Nope. For one, we’re not letting you go that easy after what just happened. You need to rest. And second, we have a treaty with the pack. No vampires on their land. That’s why Seth tried to attack you in the first place,” Emmett said firmly. Riley glared at him and pulled his wrist out of his grip, folding his arms across his chest like an angry child. He was a bit justified though. 

“Fine. But I will ask eventually. I’m not letting you all keep me in the dark forever,” Riley replied curtly, getting up again and heading, this time, to the attic. “If you need me for anything I’ll be upstairs.” He couldn’t think of why they would need him, but it never hurt to offer. He trudged up the stairs and climbed up the ladder that lead into the attic. He sighed softly, walking across the bare wooden floor to sit beside the tall, arched window that went from the floor almost up to the ceiling. Riley leaned against the cool glass, looking out at the seemingly endless woods that made up the Cullen’s backyard. 

Riley liked the attic. It was quiet, and empty, and he was able to think. He wouldn’t be distracted by all the racket that the Cullen family caused day in and day out. It was his own place, something he had never had in his life as a vampire. Either the newborns or Victoria were always there. Victoria never left him alone when he had a spare moment. At first he thought it had been love, but now he knew better. Now, Riley knew that it was to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn’t get away, while getting some pleasure and satisfaction from it while she was there. Riley sighed and closed his eyes, resting his head against the window. He really shouldn’t be thinking about her, if he didn’t want a repeat of earlier. A soft knock on the trap door startled him and he sat up. 

“Come in,” Riley called, getting to his feet and straightening his jacket. The trapdoor opened and Rosalie’s head emerged. “Rosalie. Do they want me downstairs?” Riley asked. If he was being completely honest, he was disappointed that it was Rosalie. 

“No, they don't need you. I was actually wondering if I could talk to you,” Rosalie said. Her voice, usually blunt and harsh, had a gentle ease that set Riley on edge due to its unusualness, although he wasn’t much of an authority on what was and wasn’t unusual in this coven. “Can I come up?” Rosalie continued when her statement was met only with silence. Riley hesitated, then nodded before gesturing to the spot on the floor next to him for her to sit down. Rosalie smiled and climbed up the rest of the way, her moves so graceful she practically floated to Riley and sat beside him. 

“So...what did you want to talk about?” Riley asked, shifting to face her instead of the window. He hugged his knees loosely and tilted his head, interested in what she had to say. She wouldn’t come up here for no reason. Rosalie bit her lip, eyes darting nervously to the floor. 

“I wanted to talk about what you said downstairs,” she said. Riley inhaled sharply and immediately stiffened. “Hey, don’t worry, you don’t need to repeat what you said or anything. I just wanted to tell you something. It may help you feel a little better,” Rosalie continued, resting a hand on his arm. Riley flinched away from her touch at first, but felt no threat behind it and relaxed. Rosalie waited for him to get his wits about him, awkwardly rubbing his arm in an attempt to comfort him before pulling her hand away. 

“Alright, go ahead. I’m listening,” Riley said, resting his chin on his knees and smiling to show Rosalie he was ready. She surprisingly returned the smile and shifted back onto her hands, sitting back in a more casual position. 

“I just wanted to let you know you aren’t alone in your experience,” Rosalie said. Riley looked at her questioningly. “With being taken advantage of in...that way. On the night I was turned, I was attacked by my fiance and his friends. They beat me, and then they each took a turn using my body however they pleased before leaving me to die. I would have died, if it hadn’t been for Carlisle. I don’t like being a vampire, but because I live I was able to execute my revenge. But anyways...our experiences are not the same. They never are, really, but the important thing is that we were both used. I just wanted you to know that you’re not alone. If you ever need to talk about it, or anything really, just get something off your chest, you can always come to me. Emmett is good with those types of things too,” Rosalie explained. Riley’s eyes had widened in horror when he heard Rosalie’s story. 

“Rosalie, I...I’m so sorry that happened to you. That’s awful,” Riley said quietly, sitting up more and hugging his knees tighter to his chest. He felt guilt; immense, deep guilt for the way that he had thought of Rosalie before. Of course she was bitter. Of course she was hesitant to trust others. She’d been betrayed and used by a man she thought loved her. 

“You don’t need to apologize, Riley. You weren’t one of the men who did it, and I’m better now. It took time, but eventually, I was able to somewhat heal. And I want to help you heal, if you’ll let me,” Rosalie responded. Riley’s eyes were distant. 

“It’s not the same, though, Rosalie. I’m a man, and I said yes...it doesn’t count as rape when that happens.” When he said the dreaded word it seemed to hang in the air, thickening it and making the atmosphere stifling hot. Rosalie recoiled slightly, but not for what Riley thought. 

“Just because you’re a man doesn’t mean that you weren’t assaulted, and neither does saying yes. Victoria forced you to say yes. She made you feel like you were ungrateful or a bad person if you didn’t say yes. That’s not consent, Riley. May I?” Her voice was impassioned but softened at the last two words as she held a hand out. Riley looked at it before nodding, and Rosalie settled a hand on Riley’s knee. “I know it’s hard to come to terms with what happened, but I’m here to help you.” A lump formed in Riley’s throat and he gave Rosalie a weak smile. 

“What happened to hating me and glaring at me all the time?” Riley attempted to joke, but the emotional crack in his voice and the way he had to clench his jaw to stop himself from starting to sob gave his true feelings away. Rosalie softened even further. 

“I didn’t understand you then. I still don’t, but the way you are and Victoria’s power over you is starting to make sense the more time I spend with you. I know it seems unbelievable, but you can trust me, Riley,” Rosalie answered, her voice sincere. Riley stared at her for a moment, processing everything that she said with a bewildered look on his face. His arm twitched upward at his side as he went to hug her, but stopped himself. Rosalie’s eyes flickered towards the movement and she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Riley’s shoulders in a tight, comforting embrace. Riley hugged her around her middle, burying his face in her shoulder. 

“Thank you,” he whispered, voice muffled by Rosalie’s shoulder and the thick material of her clothes. She smiled and gave him a gentle squeeze. 

“Anytime, Riley,” Rosalie murmured. They stayed like that for a while. Riley didn’t mind. 


	6. Waterfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emmett and Riley bond while the rest of the Cullens go into town to help prepare for Bella's wedding.

“I’m so booooored,” Emmett groaned, flopping face first onto the couch across from Riley. The younger vampire snickered as Emmett turned onto his back and pouted, folding his arms across his chest. “I don’t get why you couldn’t go into town, and why I have to babysit you. I mean, I guess it would be lonely without somebody here, but this is driving me insane!” Emmett got up off the couch again. The rest of the Cullen family had gone into town to start getting some things for Edward and Bella’s wedding. She wasn’t getting married until August, but Alice had insisted they look for a dress and shoes at least so that all the good ones wouldn’t end up being gone. Edward wanted to get some more CDs. and Jasper had heard of a new book he wanted to read. Carlisle and Esme went to supervise. Riley had wanted to go, just to get out of the house and the woods, but the entire family said no except for Emmett. So Emmett was put on, as Jasper jokingly comment, “babysitting duty”. 

“Why don’t we do something, then?” Riley suggested it, leaning back against the couch and smirking a bit. Emmett raised an eyebrow at him and turned hands clasped behind his back. “After all, Esme and Carlisle said we couldn’t go into town. They didn’t say that we couldn’t leave the house,” he pointed out. Emmett’s face split into a grin. 

“Oh dude, yes! Come on, I want to show you something!” Emmett grabbed Riley’s wrist to pull him off the couch, and then the two of them took off running into the woods. Of course, before the fun had even really started, the run had turned into a competition. Riley’s legs practically flew under him as he whipped through the forest, laughing freely as the wind rippled through his hair. Even though his heart was no longer beating and his skin was hard as stone, Riley felt alive. 

Emmett ran at his side, keeping perfect place, and Riley grinned at him, waving. Emmett snorted but waved back, a grin equally as wide on his face. He led Riley down a beaten path leading downwards and deep into the woods. Riley could hear running water. The green seemed to grow even brighter and sharper around the two of them. A stream ran deep through the ground at Riley’s side, and he wanted to stop and take a look, but Emmett wasn’t finished. They ran and ran, ever growing tired, until Emmett finally came to a stop. They’d reached the edge of a small ridge, which dropped down into a small clearing. Riley was about to ask what they were doing there, when he actually looked down. His mouth fell open in shock and awe. 

“It’s so beautiful,” Riley murmured, taking a step closer to the edge. The stream they’d been passing had turned out to be a large creek and poured water over a small waterfall into a large pool, which collected in a rough circular pool that ran out on the opposite end into several other pools and deep areas and frothy rapids. The edges of each pool were surrounded by wildflowers. In fact, the entire ground in the surrounding area was covered in a blanket out flowers. Riley, funnily enough, recalled a movie that he’d watched as a kid about a small deer. The scene reminded him of when the creature met his friend, a skunk. 

“I do too. Rosalie and I found it a few days ago while we were out hunting,” Emmett said. He started taking his shirt off and Riley started, staring at him in confusion. 

“What- What are you doing?” Riley spluttered, utterly confused and somewhat scared. Why was Emmett stripping in the forest…?

“Going swimming. Obviously. You should too!” Emmett said excitedly, shedding his pants and undershirt next. Thankfully, he had the decency to keep his boxers on and he let out a loud whoop, leaping over the edge of the waterfall and plunging down into the pool below. The water was so crystal clear that Riley was able to see Emmett sink to the bottom of the pool. The green, which Riley had assumed to be the color of the water, turned out to be a reflection of the trees above, and the moss growing on the rocks inside the pool. Emmett burst back up to the surface, shaking his hair like a wet dog and laughing. “Come on Riley! It’s great, I swear!” Riley hesitated a moment, plucking slightly at his shirt. He slowly took it off, revealing the numerous scars he had obtained from training newborns, and some of Victoria’s more intense punishments. He expected Emmett to freak out, or be disgusted, but the older vampire just looked up at Riley with an expectant grin on his face. Riley’s chest swelled with an unfamiliar, but very pleasant feeling, and his eagerness was so much that he tripped and fell trying to get out of his jeans. Emmett let out a bellowing laugh, so Riley aimed directly at his head as he jumped down into the pool. 

Riley sank to the bottom. He looked around him, watching tiny fish flit in and out around the water, and tadpoles half formed and newly born swimming, their little tails wiggling frantically. The moss on the rocks swayed slightly as the water above and around them rushed and swirled in an ongoing, natural pattern. Riley looked above him, amazed as the sunlight filtered through the trees and down into the water, casting an almost yellow glow below the surface. His feet sank into the warm mud at the bottom of the pool. He stayed there for a moment, allowing his stone body to remain there. Riley liked it here. He would come back. Riley kicked off the bottom of the natural pool and swam back up to Emmett, shaking his hair just as the other had and laughing. 

“It’s beautiful down there, did you look?” Riley said, unable to keep the excitement out of his tone. Emmett smiled and nodded. 

“Yeah, I did. It’s cool down there, an entire ecosystem thriving right under our noses,” Emmett said with a thoughtful hum. He floated on his back, looking up at the canopy of trees. His skin glinted in the sunlight. Riley glanced at him and then looked over his shoulder nervously. He knew it was stupid to be afraid of someone finding them, the forests were massive, It was just in his nature, he supposed. He started floating too, moving his arms and legs ever so slightly to stay above the water. 

“Why’d you bring me here?” Riley asked after a moment of silence. Emmett let out a small sigh. 

“As a thank you. For helping Rosalie yesterday,” Emmett replied, turning himself upright again in the water to look at Riley properly. Riley did it as well, for manners sake. He shied away with embarrassment, and had he been human his cheeks would have been flushed a brilliant red. 

“You don’t have to thank me, Emmett. She helped me anyways, I didn’t really do anything,” Riley confessed. Emmett smiled and shook his head. 

“No, you definitely helped her. It’s been a long, long time since she’s told anybody what happened to her, and she always swore to me that no one outside of the family would ever know. But you...you’ve turned our world upside down, Riley,” Emmett finished with a laugh, the way his smile reached his eyes putting Riley at ease almost as well as Jasper’s emotion manipulation. “When she came downstairs after she talked to you…” Emmett’s voice trailed off for a moment. “...it was like a completely different person had come down the stairs. She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t have to. She was smiling a lot, like a lot a lot. It was great,” the older vampire said, turning and grinning at RIley again. 

“I’m…I’m glad,” Riley said softly. “She’s a good person.” Emmett chuckled. 

“It’s about time somebody besides me realized that. Now come on, let’s swim!” Emmett clapped Riley on the back and dove under the water, swimming through the rough current of the creek and into the second pool. Riley followed close behind, feeling much less out of place than he did before. They swam for hours. They had races, splashed each other in the face, you know, the usual antics that young men in their late teens to twenties will get into (even if the twenty year old had been twenty for almost one hundred years). Riley hadn’t wanted to leave, but the sun was going down quickly and Emmett knew that Esme would want them back home to help unload anything they bought and spend some time with Bella before she had to go home. 

“There you are! You two look like you had some fun today,” Carlisle commented as the two vampires came running up to the house, hair still soaking wet and their clothes sticking to their wet skin. “Now that you’re home, though, we could use your help. Alice went a little shop-happy…there’s a lot to bring in,” he continued. Emmett groaned in complaint, but Riley obediently went out to the driveway, where Edward’s Volvo XC60 was currently being unloaded of all of its merchandise. 

“Just put it in my room love, I’ll take care of it after it’s all brought upstairs,” Alice said to Jasper, who was carrying a large box filled with assorted decorations. The couple shared a quick kiss before Jasper zipped into the house, returning a moment later to take two other boxes and repeating the process. Edward was bringing some things down to the basement. “Riley! Emmett! How was swimming?” Alice asked the two of them as they appeared. 

“It was a of fun, Emmett’s a cool person to hang out with,” Riley said, taking a box out of the trunk of the car. “Where would you like this one, Alice?” he asked. Alice smiled at Riley’s previous comment, then perked up when he asked her about the box. 

“Just follow Jasper up to my room, he’ll show you!” Alice said. Jasper’s head popped up at the mention of his name, and when his eyes fell on Riley, the younger vampire shivered. Jasper glanced at the singular box in Riley’s hands and quickly added a second box to his own pile. He gestured with his head for RIley to follow him, running up to Alice’s bedroom. Riley did his best to keep up, but he had to poke his head in a room or two before finally finding the one Jasper was in. Jasper watched Riley as he set his box down, and the uncomfortable tension in the air was sharp enough to cut with a knife. Jasper regarded Riley for a moment, who looked at him nervously and rubbed his hands on his pants before putting them in his pockets. 

“Come on, we still have more boxes,” Jasper muttered after the drawn out, awkward silence. Riley let out a sigh of relief and followed Jasper back outside. He certainly was a strange one. 


	7. Posters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley discovers something while borrowing clothes from Jasper. Comments appreciated! <3

Jasper continued acting strangely towards Riley over the course of the next few days. Riley had gotten the sense before that Jasper absolutely despised him, but now, while the other vampire was being exceptionally distant, there were no more cold glares or watching him stiffly whenever he interacted with any of the family. The one time Jasper almost lashed out at Riley, it had been a misunderstanding, and Jasper had quietly apologized before leaving the house and heading out into the woods alone. Riley didn’t know what to make of it. He didn’t hate Jasper, but he didn’t particularly like him. He made him nervous. That’s why he was having this conversation now, with Esme, in the middle of the kitchen.

“I’m not taking Jasper’s clothes,” Riley protested, shaking his head and trying to leave the kitchen. Esme strode quickly to the entrance, hands on her hips as she raised an eyebrow at Riley. 

“You aren’t taking them. He offered them. And besides, that boy has more clothes than he could ever wear thanks to Alice. You can’t stay in the same set of clothes every single day. It’ll get dirty!” Esme insisted. Riley huffed and crossed his arms, looking away like a stubborn child. Esme sighed. “Riley, come on. You need new clothes, but it isn’t safe for you to go to town. Jasper doesn’t mind, really. He’ll even go up with you if you want.”

“That’s not necessary. Just don’t get anything from the closet, I like those,” Jasper said suddenly, startling both Esme and Riley as he sped into the doorway. Esme clutched her chest as if she was clutching her heart that was no longer there. The move made Jasper smile. 

“I swear, if I was human you boys would have killed me already!” Esme muttered and then sighed as she shook her head. “Anyways, Riley, see? I told you he was fine with it. Now go and pick yourself some things,” she encouraged, shooing him away with a wave of her hand and a smile. Riley looked at Jasper once more for approval. The vampire simply nodded before leaving the room again, probably going to find Alice. Riley trudged up the stairs, reminding himself of the night he did all the unloading until he found the bedroom. 

Riley left the closet alone, as Jasper had requested. The room was bare except for a bookshelf, a bed (Riley tried not to think about what they used that for), a small writing desk, and a dresser. There were no decorations, no rugs on the hardwood floor, no pictures or mirrors hanging up on the walls. Despite the lack of decor, however, the room still felt warm and inviting. Riley had briefly felt it when he had entered before, but now that he was lingering there it seeped into him. Perhaps Jasper was influencing the atmosphere of the room, or maybe the couple themselves simply radiated that kind of energy. He didn’t see how Jasper fit that mark, but Alice was a very kind person. 

Riley searched through Jasper’s drawers. He pulled out a couple button-ups and t-shirts, several pairs of jeans, and a pair of socks. He slung all of the clothes over his right arm and grabbed the pair of socks, setting them on top of the pile. He turned to leave when something in the drawer caught his eye. A slightly yellowed sheet of paper was pressed into the side of Jasper’s dresser, only the top of it peeking up as the rest of it was concealed by socks. Riley’s curiosity piqued, but he hesitated to read the paper. These were Jasper’s belongings. It wasn’t Riley’s business going through them. What if it was something private? Riley hesitated slightly. It didn’t look too important...maybe he would take just a peek? He reached a hand out and then quickly drew it back. He was being ridiculous. This was Jasper’s stuff, for crying out loud! 

Despite his train of thought, Riley snatched the paper out of Jasper’s drawer like a small child afraid of getting caught stealing from the cookie jar. He looked over his shoulder, watching to see if anyone was coming. When he saw and heard no one, he turned back to the paper in his hands. It was a missing person poster. He froze when his gaze fell on the picture. It was him. 

His grip on the paper tightened as he saw his happy, human self smiling up at him almost tauntingly. Riley looked so different as a human. He looked happier; more innocent. But that’s not what upset him, not truly. Someone had been looking for him. The message at the bottom of the page made his chest ache. It read  _ Riley, if you are reading this, please call home and let us know you are safe.  _ Riley’s hands trembled slightly, but anger soon overcame sadness. He sprinted out of the bedroom and rushed down the stairs, discarding the clothes in a pile on the floor. 

“What the hell is this?!” Riley shouted, storming downstairs and waving the poster wildly above his head. His eyes were blazing, angry. Alice quickly got out of his way as he rushed past her and grabbed Jasper by the front of his shirt. “Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Riley was fuming, and the fact that Jasper didn’t look even slightly frightened as he slammed him against the wall just pissed him off even more. 

“Riley, you need to calm down. You don’t know what you’re doing,” Jasper said in a firm tone, not moving to push Riley off, but tensing in case of an attack. Riley shook with anger and glared at Jasper. “I can tell you what the poster is-”

“I know what the damn poster is!” Riley snarling, lifting Jasper off of his feet and holding him up above him and against the wall. His feet dangled as he looked down at Riley, expressionless. Emmett moved to interfere but Alice held out a had to stop him. “My family…” Riley choked up, his jaw clenching as he held back cries. “My family is still...they’re…” His voice trailed off and he slowly slid Jasper back down the wall to the floor, shaking slightly as he bowed his head. His grip on Jasper’s shirt tightened until his knuckles were white. Jasper frowned softly, trying to remove Riley’s hands, but the vampire was frozen. 

“Riley. Riley, let go,” Jasper said, trying to keep his voice even and gentle. Riley didn’t seem to even hear him. His gaze was fixed off into the distance and he was shaking, his breathing heavy. Rosalie stepped in, resting her hands on Riley’s shoulders. Riley flinched and looked at her. His grip on Jasper’s shirt loosened. 

“There you go. Just relax. Everything’s alright,” Rosalie murmured soothingly, rubbing Riley’s shoulders. 

“She told me I killed them,” Riley managed to say, hands finally releasing their iron grip on Jasper and falling limply to his side. Rosalie’s eyes softened in sympathy. Riley nodded when she held out a hand questioningly and he leaned into her touch when she put an arm around him. “She told me I killed them when I changed, I can’t believe I listened to her...I never even thought to see if they were really gone, and all this time they’ve never stopped searching for me.” 

“There’s no reason for you to feel guilty, Riley. Victoria lied to you when you were vulnerable and just realizing what you were. She took advantage of that,” Carlisle said reassuringly. Riley stayed silent for a moment, keeping his eyes trained on the ground. 

“I need to see them,” he finally said, looking back up and into Carlisle’s eyes. The older vampire frowned slightly and shook his head. 

“You know we can’t let you, Riley. If you were to expose us-”

“I won’t, I swear. Please,” Riley pleaded, moving away from Rosalie to stand in front of the coven leader. “I need them to know I’m ok. Please, Carlisle,” Riley begged unashamedly. Carlisle sighed and thought for a moment before gesturing to the poster in Riley’s hands. 

“You can call them. Use my phone,” Carlisle finally relented, handing Riley his cellphone. Riley relaxed and he even managed to smile, taking the phone gratefully. 

“Thank you, sir, thank you so much,” Riley said, voice shaking with emotion. Carlisle just nodded. “Is...Is it ok if I have some privacy? Rosalie, Emmett, you two can stay if you want but…” Riley’s voice trailed off. Edward’s lips turned up in a slight sneer but Esme smiled at Riley. 

“Of course. We’ll go out and hunt, we haven’t gone in a while. Rosalie, let us know when you guys are done ok?” Esme said, taking Carlisle hand. Rosalie nodded, joining Riley’s side again. Emmett stood on his other side. Before, he would have felt intimidated. Now, he felt protected. As the rest of the Cullen family began to leave, Jasper whispered something to Alice. She beamed at him and nodded, giving him a quick kiss before leaving. Jasper turned towards them, hands shoved deep into his pockets as his eyes darted from Riley to the floor. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about your family sooner,” Jasper finally said, looking at Riley. His usually unreadable face was now easily pinned as being sad, perhaps even guilty. Riley swallowed, his chest feeling tight as he saw that look on the other vampires face. 

“It’s…It’s fine-”

“No it isn’t, Riley,” Jasper interrupted firmly. “It’s not fine. I lied to you- we lied to you, the whole family. You deserved to know that your family was alive. I may not trust you, but I certainly don’t want you suffering for no reason. I’m sorry for not telling you sooner,” he finished. Riley could feel the sincerity of his words. He held a hand out to Jasper, who grasped it firmly and shook. 

“Thank you, Jasper,” Riley said quietly. Jasper’s lips quirked in a small half-smile and he nodded, letting go of Riley’s hand. 

“You’re welcome. Good luck to you,” he said before turning and running out to join the other Cullens. Riley took a shaky breath and looked down at the phone in his hands. He definitely needed luck. He opened the phone, his fingers shaking slightly as he began dialing the number on the poster. 

“You want one of us to do it?” Emmett asked hesitantly, unsure of how to make the situation any less stressful. Riley quickly shook his head. “Alright body. We’ll...uh, we’re right here, so if it gets to be too much just pass the phone to one of us,” Emmett continued. Riley nodded again. 

“Want me to hold your hand?” Rosalie offered. Riley hesitated and looked at Emmett for approval. When Emmett nodded in agreement, Riley took Rosalie’s hand, his own shaking in her grip. He clicked call and pressed the phone to his ear. It rang three or four times, and at first, Riley was worried that either no one was there or the number was no longer in use, but then there was a soft click. Someone had picked up. 

“Biers household,” a tired, dejected sounding voice said on the other end. Riley gripped the phone tightly. The voice triggered something in his mind, memories from ages ago suddenly flooding back of this voice. This person. 

“Danica?” 


End file.
